via IBMA.org
Revered bluegrass virtuosos Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland’s “Outrun the Rain” picked up two awards, Song of the Year and Collaborative Recording of the Year. The song is from their 2025 Carter & Cleveland album, which won Album of the Year.
The IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Show, co-hosted by Steve Martin and Alison Brown, was held at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
SONG OF THE YEAR
Outrun the Rain – Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland
Songwriters: Terry Herd/Jimmy Yeary
Producers: Jason Carter/Michael Cleveland
Label: Fiddle Man Records
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Carter & Cleveland – Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland
Producers: Jason Carter/Michael Cleveland
Label: Fiddle Man Records
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Outrun the Rain – Jason Carter, Michael Cleveland, Jaelee Roberts & Vince Gill
Songwriters: Terry Herd/Jimmy Yeary
Producers: Jason Carter/Michael Cleveland
Label: Fiddle Man Records
During the Awards Show, the 2025 inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame were honored: pioneering bluegrass band Hot Rize, The Bluegrass Cardinals, celebrated for its flawless harmonies, virtuoso playing, and original material, and influential African American musician Arnold Shultz, whose influence shaped the development of bluegrass music.
Awards are determined by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the nonprofit trade organization that connects and empowers bluegrass professionals.
IBMA World of Bluegrass®, in partnership with Chattanooga Tourism Co. and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, runs September 16-20, 2025. The week, the most important in bluegrass music, encompasses four events: the IBMA Business Conference, Sept. 16-18 at the Chattanooga Convention Center; the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases taking place Sept. 16-18 in local Chattanooga venues; the 36th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, Sept. 18; and IBMA Bluegrass Live!®, Sept. 19-20, a two-day festival of live performances and fan experiences.